New plans to renovate a Milford site into a €2 million housing development has prompted serious questions over its locality.
Ahead of a decision by the Donegal County Council on April 22, the owners of the old Milford Hotel have submitted plans for a mix of town houses, apartments and a car park in the area.
Kevin Connor, the owner of the property, initially wanted to find a buyer for the hotel but when it failed to attract a buyer the family decided to go ahead with their own plans.
However, since the planning application was submitted, questions have been raised about the location of the development.
Councillor Liam Blaney, who is adamant he wouldn’t stand in the way of any possible development, has queried issues the further housing could cause to the town.
Speaking to Donegal Daily, Blaney said: “Anything that improves the area or gives it a bit of life again, I would welcome it and I wouldn’t stand in its way.
“But I just wouldn’t be so sure of this development because it could potentially cause traffic disruption in the area and I wouldn’t know where all the cars would park because there are houses across the road from the hotel as well.
“It is quite a narrow junction and I know already that large vehicles have trouble getting through the area on the regular,” he added.
“I thought whatever was going to be done with that site would help improve the turning manoeuvres at that junction to make it safer for pedestrians.
“I don’t want to come across like I am trying to interfere with this process because I am absolutely not doing that,” Blaney said.
“It is just a question of whether another commercial site would be more suitable for the centre of the town in Milford.”
Blaney also fears that the public doesn’t know enough about the property development despite a public consultation being issued by the council.
“The problem as well is with the public and whether they know what is going on here,” the councillor added.
“In the likes of public consultations, the public doesn’t respond until it is too late and then when the diggers come to town, people come and say they didn’t know anything about it.
“I would still like to know what they have to say about it regardless, whether that is to me or to other councillors if they didn’t know about it already.
“The bottom line is, it would bring further life to Milford but I’m just not convinced yet that the site is suitable for that development at this minute.”
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